Empower (UNW/UNEP) 2018-2022

Some of the results from the fiveyear implementation period are highlighted below: i) Policymakers in the region have adopted in total 12 gender responsive climate change, Disaster Risk Reduction and renewable energy policies that are being implemented at the national and regional levels. For example the Climate change and gender action Plan and the National Action Plan on Women's Entrepreneurship for Renewable Energy in Bangladesh, Guidelines on Gender Mainstreaming in Disaster Management approved by the National Committee for Disaster Management in Cambodia, and in Vietnam the Nationally Determined Contribution, National Strategy on Climate Change (20212030), monitoring and evaluation for the National Climate Change Adaptation Plan (20212030) and its monitoring and evaluation plan, "Guideline on Gender Mainstreaming in Community based disaster risk Management" programme approved by the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority. On regional level, the ASEAN Road map for Gender Responsive Renewable Energy Policies, the outcome document of the 8th session of the APFSD 2021 (including SDG 13 where information on gender and human rights has been included for the first time), as well as the ASEAN Regional Framework on Protection, Gender and Inclusion in Disaster Management 20212025 (with work on this document co-financed by European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations). ii) Duty bearers increased capacities to apply gender mainstreaming and a human rights based approach in their climate change and renewable energy work. Over 2000 duty bearers reported that they have increased their knowledge on gender equality and human rights through project workshops and e-learning. Stakeholders in the region have access to a new body of knowledge and evidence on gender responsive climate change, Disaster Risk Reduction and renewable energy, facilitating climate related actions. The project contributed to filling a critical regional knowledge gap by establishing clear links between gender and climate change and surfacing promising gender responsive actions, including by preparing and widely disseminating policy research, tools and guidance, and involving government and other stakeholders in this process. For example 276 government officials and practitioners in Bangladesh, enhanced their knowledge, information and capacity for gender responsive climate change actions through capacity development trainings, which involved government officials from relevant ministries and departments as well as climate change professionals. Similar activities were carried out in Vietnam and Cambodia. iii) Governments and key stakeholders are better able to generate, analyse and use sex, age and diversity disaggregated data (SADDD) to inform climate change and DRR policies and actions. For example, Bangladesh developed and rolled out a pilot survey on SADDD collection in five of its most vulnerable communities. The Ministry of Women's Affairs in Cambodia adopted the "Guideline on integrating Gender in Climate Change and Disaster Related Statistics", and the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority adopted SADDD collection approaches in their national disaster monitoring system. iv) New regional intergovernmental commitments ensure action on gender responsive climate change, renewable energy and DRR. Five intergovernmental decisions have been made increasing commitments, for example the adoption of the Road map on Accelerating ASEAN Renewable Energy Deployment through Gender Responsive Energy Policy. v) Civil Society organizations (CSOs) across the three focus countries strengthened their capacity to lead and influence climate change and DRR actions and decision making processes. For example, leaders from 56 women led grass root CSOs from five of the most climate vulnerable districts in Bangladesh increased leadership skills and knowledge on climate change adaptation, and demonstrated it in various networks and platforms. They actively participated in dialogues with policymakers and government officials and played instrumental roles in flood response programmes and climate resilient livelihood projects. In Cambodia, women and youth improved their capacity due to the project, and engaged with the Government and regional bodies on gender in climate change and DRR policy dialogues. In Viet Nam, local organizations increased their understanding of gender responsive climate change and DRR issues due to project interventions, including training. vi) Women in rural areas and their communities built capacities to adapt to climate change. Empower has proved that investing in women's leadership skills and renewable technology enterprises as well as introducing renewable energy as an economic resource for resilient livelihoods can mitigate risks from the negative impacts of climate change by providing reliable and sustainable livelihoods for women across Asia and Pacific. For example, a total of 574 women established or improved livelihood activities and over 1689 women received indirect economic benefits such as an improved standard of living due to access to essential services, including for water reduced health and protection risks given accessible and cleaner energy sources and time saved due to the availability of products and services in their communities. The installation of 39 renewable energy based climate resilient interventions enabled women to raise and improve the quality of their production as well as their income and savings. A Vietnamese Women's Cooperative in Na Kien Village in Bac Kan who in the past produced dried flower tea and dried tea leaves using mainly sun drying or firewood had during a period of five months increased their productivity three times by using solar drying houses and by receiving training within the Empower project on production, business planning and online selling. These results were captured in a change assessment review done in project sites in Cambodia, Vietnam and Bangladesh. vii) The project contributed to the uptake of renewable energy technology and assisted in reducing emissions by facilitating women's access to renewable energy technology and building their capacities and skills. The solar photovoltaic and solar thermal systems installed under Empower can contribute to a reduction of 15 000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions throughout their expected life cycle. For example, through Empower, a total of 84 enterprises and 723 women reported improved skills on renewable energy, digital marketing, online sales strategies and information and communications technology. viii) Empower effectively advocated for women's leadership with financial institutions and the renewable energy sector and secured USD 316 000 in co-financing, ensuring longer term impact. For example, EmPower partnered with provincial stakeholders and supported them in strengthening their institutional capacity and understanding of links between renewable energy and womens entrepreneurship, and in leveraging funding for renewable energybased womens entrepreneurship projects. This unlocked financing from local banks and institutions, resulting in a USD 316,000 grant. Out of the 39 enterprises accessing funding support, nine are renewable energy enterprises, while the remaining 30 apply renewable energy technology for livelihood generation. The latter are using nine applications of technology for livelihood generation and climate resilience: solar irrigation for horticulture, solar irrigation for agriculture, solar drying, solar chicken incubation, solar for drinking water, solar cold storage, solar aqua culture, solar for herbal processing and sawdust pellet making. ix) Empower is being recognized as an important initiative in regional and global forums. EmPower participated and influenced processes such as the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations, the United Nations Development Group joint working groups, and the ninth annual subcommittee meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives. For example, EmPower contributed to the 66th session of The Commission on the Status of Women where the outcome document highlighted that achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, as well as women's full, equal, effective, and meaningful participation and decision making in the context of climate change, environmental degradation and DRR, is essential to attaining sustainable development. The Commission also recognized the critical role played by regional conventions, instruments and initiatives in their respective regions and countries, as well as their followup mechanisms, in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, including in the context of climate change, environmental and DRR policies and programmes. x) UNEP has increased institutional capacity on gender equality and human rights. For example, EmPower has severed as an internal example of good practice contributing to UNEP strengthening its corporate capacity on gender equality. This was noted in the UNEP UNSWAP report card of 2021, reporting its highest UNSWAP 2.0 compliance to date. UNEP is currently set to develop its new gender strategy informed by experiences under the joint project. xi) UN Women has increased institutional engagement on climate change and DRR. For example, EmPower has severed as an internal example of good practice contributing to UN Women strengthening its engagement in climate and environmental programming and the organisation is now in the process of developing its global and regional climate change strategy.

The regional program Strengthening Human Rights and Gender Equality through Climate Change Action and Disaster Risk Reduction in short Empower was implemented by UN Women in partnership with UN Environment. The project aimed to address key drivers of gender-based vulnerability and enhance human rights through mainstreaming gender and human rights concerns in climate change and disaster risk reduction actions in Asia and Pacific. Empower was working with governments, community leaders, experts and private sector. The project was implemented in Bangladesh, Cambodia and Viet Nam and at the regional level in Asia and Pacific. The project duration was April 2018-December 2022. It worked within five results areas: 1) Voice and leadership - Output 1 - CSOs representing women and women's groups are able to lead, participate in and influence climate change and DRR decision-making processes; 2) Data for policymaking - Output 2 - Governments and key stakeholders are able to generate, analyse and use sex, age and diversity disaggregated data to inform climate change and disaster risks and actions; 3) Gender responsible policies - Output 3 - National policy-makers are able to integrate gender equality commitments in climate change and DRR policies; 4) Renewable energy for resilient livelihoods - Output 4 - Women use renewable energy to increase adaptive capacity and enhance climate-resilient livelihoods; and 5) Regional engagement - Output 5 - Regional normative and policy frameworks on climate change and DRR incorporate gender equality and human rights perspective.